Thai Basil Calamari Stir Fry ...and golf

 Cutting Celery, Thai Basil, Pepper.

Now the steps to an Awesome stir fry!!

...so I didn't start the photos until after prep was done, but here's the saute steps:  

1. warm steel pan with Grape Seed Oil -healthy, no flavors to impart.

2. Throw in Jalepenos.  Cook em hard, so they taste roasted and the seeds infuse the oil w spiciness!

3. Throw in Onion and Bell Pepper.

4. Get nice and golden (onions) or roasted (peppers)....

 Set aside.

5. Add just a little more oil, and throw in the Zucchini.

6. Add Thai Basil flower buds -very aromatic and herbal

 Set Aside.

7.  Add Choy Sum (Hearts of Bok Choy)

8. Cover and steam for a few minutes.  Don't over do, cuz it will be mushy.  The Choy Sum will release liquids that will loosen the oils and flavor from the pan, then re-absorb them...so it tastes super awesome.

 Set Aside.  

 ^^ This is the 'set aside plate'  ...looks good, eh?!

 Calamari -from China Market.  They come whole, so you have to cut.  Do so however.

 9.  Add a little more oil to pan, then throw in Calamari.  Just after you do so, throw in Minced Garlic.   Let cook.  The squids will relese some liquid, and it will get saucey -which is a good thing, keeps it tender! 

10.  When it's getting 1/2 cooked to you liking, throw in the Thai Basil (fresh from garden, this is).  

11. Dash with 5-grain soy and a little fish sauce.

12. Squeeze Lime to taste.

 13. Drain sauce, and use for later.

 14. Combine all ingredients.  Be careful not to cook together, as you do not want flavors to combine.  Instead, just heat it up.

 Artsy pic w mangoes and soy-fish sauce mix

15.  Put on bed of steamed jasmine rice (I also threw in some Celery leaves for a twist)

16. Drizzle with sauce from above.

17. Garnish, and serve

Tomato & Sunflowers

Below is the sequence of blooming events for the sunflower...is all happened over the weekend, like the fireworks, this sunflower has exploded and shown its summery colors.

Garden Mojito!

 Best. Mojitos. EVER.  The Colonel Kentucky Mint is amazing!
 

This is  one of many little tom's now.  This biggest of which is larger than a ping pong ball.

 LUSH

 I had to share a pics of the nachos: Carmelized Cumin onions, Black beans, Corn, Asiago, Cheddar, Carnitas.

I was messing with the color exposure on this one....

Have a great day...more updates soon!

Tomatoes be creepin...

Here in KC we've had some serious serious storms.  Crazy lightening, thunder, rain...and I guess it is what the plants needed.  The first tomatoes have begun to grow!  It is actually the Iraqi varietal, Baswara

 First, I had to secure one for the plants - - about 3 feet taller than the cage.  I used a vine again.

 ^I like this one

 These are going to be tomatoes in  a month...

 This is the Anise Hyssop plant.  ..the leaves smell like licorice, but I'm not quite sure what to do with it.  I'm thinking in a sauce would be good....probably a cream sauce.

 Sunflowers, getting GIANT!

This is my potted Cala Lilly - can't wait for it to grow....it's going to be purple and white.

Have a great day!!

The 1st meal using garden flavors, and transplanting.

I have to say, this garden is awesome!  I haven't gotten many fruits yet, but the plants are huge!  And, the herbs are killlllin it!  So much so, that I had to utilize them in a meal the other night.   I picked up some zuchinni, a bell pepper, one jalepeno and an onion.  I joined those up with some mock abalone and brown rice, and it was pretty amazing:

 Greek Oregeno. Jamacian Spicy Rosemary. Lemon Thyme.

 Onions, sauteed -not quite caramelized, and set aside.  (a technique picked up from Mrs. Cosmic @ http://kitchen--alchemist.blogspot.com. Make sure to check out all of her fabulous recipes!) 

This is  Mock Abalone, with sauteed Bell Pepper, Jelepeno and Garlic.  It has a dash of 5-Grain Soy (which is unreal -smells and tastes almost like Guiness or something, and has a beautiful dark, dark red hue).

I'll take a photo of my pepper technique another time, but basically get a steel pan hot hot hot with a good coating of Grape Seed oil.  Then, put in the peppers..Let them cook!  I mean cook!  It's extra fantastic if they burn a  little bit, imparts a superb roasted pepper flavor!  When they are nice and done throw in the Mock Meat and garlic.  *oh, there is a sprinkling of cashews, too!

Brown Rice

Zuchinni, onion -which I added to the Zuch when it was almost done, and the herbs!

Bomb Apatite

NOW, the Garden update.

Tomato plants: 5ft tall! 

That's tall!  ...in fact I'm having to tie them to neighboring cages:

I used a weed vine to secure it.

Peppers:

 The tomato plants have gotten so big that they've been starving my favorite bell pepper plants of all sunlight.  So, I moved them.  Dug it up, and replanted.  I will be very sad if I don't get any Chocolate or Purple Beauties this year!

Sunflowers:

Check out the previous post for another hand shot like this.

And finally, a few dedicated to the most sweet lovey doggie ever: SAPPORO!!  

Adios!